Qatari, Arab, Asian and international sporting circles have expressed profound grief and deep sorrow at the passing of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, former Emir of Qatar, who departed to the mercy of his Lord after a national journey filled with dedication and achievement.
Our wise leadership has also extended its sincerest condolences to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, to Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and to the ruling family and the noble Qatari people, praying to Almighty God to envelop the deceased in His boundless mercy and grant him the spaciousness of His paradise.
The Father Emir, may God have mercy on him, was one of the most prominent supporters of Qatar's sporting journey, and his imprint was not confined to the borders of his country but extended to the Arab, continental and international arenas, until Qatar became a global model in sports investment and the hosting of the world's greatest championships and international events.
Those working in the Olympic and sporting movement recall the immense support the late Emir gave to sport, and his deep conviction in its importance for human development and for promoting the values of peace, health and rapprochement among peoples.
He also accorded this sector special priority within the state's vision, and contributed to nurturing a generation of sports leaders — foremost among them his sons, who continued the journey with an institutional spirit that made sport one of the most important pillars of development in Qatar.
The Father Emir was known for his closeness to athletes and his keenness to attend competitions and meet champions of various nationalities, believing that sport is a civilisational message that transcends the boundaries of competition. In his youth he practised football, swimming and equestrian sports, and this passion for sport remained with him throughout his life. He was a man of far-reaching vision who laid the foundations for an unprecedented sporting renaissance.
He is credited with laying the cornerstones that made Qatar a global capital of sport, through the hosting of dozens of continental and world championships, most notably the Asian Games — the Doha Asian Games 2006.
This culminated in the historic achievement of hosting and organising the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which the world acknowledged as one of the best-organised editions in the tournament's history, in addition to the country's continued attraction of the world's greatest sporting events and its aspiration to host more international competitions.
He was, may God have mercy on him, a figure held in high esteem by Arab, Asian and international sports leaders, and he built bridges of trust and cooperation with various sporting institutions, leaving behind a legacy that will endure as a testament to a historic era that elevated Qatar to the ranks of the leading nations in global sport.
With his passing, Arab and Asian sport loses one of its most distinguished pioneers and architects of its modern renaissance, but his achievements will remain immortal, bearing witness to the vision of a leader who believed that sport is soft power, a human message and a bridge of communication between nations.
We ask Almighty God to envelop the deceased in His boundless mercy and forgiveness, to grant him the spaciousness of His paradise, and to grant the noble ruling family and the brotherly Qatari people patience and consolation. «Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return.» Farewell, Hamad.